Eagle Wing
by fantisydragon
Summary: Sarah, a 15 year old girl, living in the Renaissance time period, is taken by dragons, and starts falling in love with a man from her dreams. If you have already read some of the chapters, I would suggest you re-read them, for I am adding more stuff!
1. Encounters

**Chapter 1: Encounters**

She sat washing the ugly shirt in the river next to the house.

"SARAH! GET IN THIS HOUSE RIGHT NOW!" Sighing, Sarah grabbed the shirt from the river and walked up to the clothes line. It was hanging off the right side of the house, and tied to a small tree to her right. She looked at their house. It was a beautiful house, that her father had built when he first married Sarah's mother. It was made from dark wood, Sarah had no idea what it was, and it was sturdy and strong. It had grass and hay on the roof. It hung off in different places. She had not one idea why her father did that.

She pinned the shirt on quick. For all Sarah knew, she probably destriod the moon. As she walked up to the steps, she looked out at the landscape. The river was facing the back side of the house, and was pretty small. It only was about 3 feet long. It would be more of a stream than a river, if it hadn't been so deep.

On the other side of the river, there was a forest, called _Velatius Forest_, named long before our people came to the land.

It was almost grass land, as far as Sarah knew, from people cutting down the forest to make their farms. There was a occasional tree here and there, but not much.

"Yes Mother?" Sarah said as she got into the house.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO US SARAH?" Her mother screamed. Her mother was standing next to their table, which was to Sarah's right. Her family stood around her. Her brothers Kale, 12 years old, Jonathan, 10 years old, to her left. Her mother in front of her, and to her right, her older sister Areala, who was 17 years old.

Her mother was a large, chubby woman, with short little legs and her ugly brown hair pilled on top of her head. Her face was always scrunched up into a scowl, and she had a very big nose. Her face was fat and round, fat almost bulging ever where on her body. Why her father had married her, she had no clue.

Her brothers where almost identical, but Kale had shinny blond hair, as Jonathan had black hair, as our grandmother had. Jonathan was almost a foot shorter than Kale, and had a lond pointed nose, as his mother.

Though, Kale was very handsome for a 12 year old. He had a full chin, and a very nice smile. He was broad shoulders, and a huge chest, from working the fields. For- mother could not. Jonathan on the other hand, was scrowny, and almost week looking. Though, Jonathan and Kale did everything together.

Areala was the real beauty of the family. Her mother was so proud of her daughter, just for her beauty. Her sister had blond hair, that had a slight wave at the bottom. Her hair went all the way to the middle of her back. Her sister had the perfect hour glass shape. And, Sarah envied her for it... The only fault it seemed her sister had was that she had some freeckles spanning from right under each eye, to the middle of her nose.

"Do what Mother?" Sarah finally asked, after she looked at her family.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I SPEAK OF GIRL!" She screamed, holding her hands to her face in a fist, scowling at her, even with her eyes closed.

"No, I do not mother, I was just out washing when you told me to come in," She said calmly, she knew how to deal with this women. She thought she was the next queen of England, so high and mighty, just act dumb and stupid. Truthfully, Sarah didn't know what she was talking about.

Her mother looked up at her. Her little dwarf face full of shock, "You did not?" she asked, quieter this time. She had opened her eyes as she was talking.

"Truthfully Mother, I have no idea what you are talking about," She said looking around, her. Her two brothers, looked as if they had been snickering, but had stopped to stare at her. And, her sister looked at her as if she might cry.

"What have I done?" She said, looking at her family.

"Oh, never mind girl! Just get back to your chores," Her mother leaned closer, so only she could hear her, " but, if it turns out to be true, I will have your hide!" And, with that her mother walked away. _Strange, my mother has never acted so astounded at me, they must have thought I did something right horrible, _she thought. She turned around and went back to the yard, thinking of her family and what just happened. Her two brothers, Kale and Jonathan. They loved to make her feel horrible and embarrass her... What was that about?

And, her sister? Her sister was really her only companion, since there was no one living there her age, except some men, who thought she was strange... Her sister almost always supported her, why did she look at her that way? She would have to find out.

*****

Lying in bed, next to her sister she whispered, "What have I done Areala?" Her sister scowled at the question.

They did not have enough money to buy more than this. The boys, shared a bed, in a separate room down the stairs from them. Their mother, had her own room, since she had lived and layed with her father when he was alive. She was across the hall from them. Areala and Sarah had shared this room since Sarah was born.

"Mother does not want me telling you, because if you didn't do it, what does it matter?" Areala said, she would almost never disobey Mother. Areala and Mother where like peas in a pod. Her mother loved Areala, ans Areala obeyed. With that, Areala got whatever she wanted.

"Please, mother looked to me as if I had done the worst crime." She said, putting full force of her blue eyes on her sister. Her eyes where a deep blue. Many times her father had said it reminded him of the great waters.

Sarah did not consider herself pretty, she had dirty blond hair, and wasn't ugly. She was skinny, _Thank the Merciful Lord! I am not fat like my mother! _She had strange feet, and she had a poorly shaped face. It was more of a triangle at the bottom. She also had pasty, white skin, even after working in the sun all day. Her eyes where big though, everyone she meet said that. Her pride and joy was her eyes, her eyes where the best thing about her. She was 15, two years younger than her sister, and the second oldest.

Her sister looked at her, "All right," she said, sighing, defeated, "Mother had heard a rummer in church this morning that you had been with a man, in the wrong way..." Her sister murmured, she looked nervous. Areala sounded as if she was lying, trying to push the problem away so Sarah would not know the truth. Sarah sighed. She gave in, and just decided to believe it.

"What man?" She asked.

"Mother did not know, she was going to ask you... Have you?" Areala fibbed, trying to make it sound convincing.

"No, I have not, none of the men around here have had a side look at me," she said, "And, anyways they all look a little funny for my taste." They both laughed.

"We should go to sleep before someone hears us." Areala whispered to her sister.

"Yes, night," Sarah whispered to her older sister.

"Night."

Sarah rolled over, and closed her eyes, exhausted. As she did this, her sister leaned over and blew out the candle that had been light so they could see each other while they talked.

Sarah drifted into sleep with haste.

Sarah's eyes flew open. She looked up at the blue sky. _What?! I thought I fell asleep?!_

She sat up and looked around. She was on top of a hill, under a tree. Filled with life this tree was, blossoms where starting to bloom. Grass, everywhere the eye could see was grass. No road or house, anywhere. She looked at the tree, at the base was a marking, looking like a heart, she moved closer to make it out. The mark was a circle with a diamond shape in the middle, touching all sides of the circle. It then had a small moon in the middle of the diamond.

"That is your sign Sarah," startled Sarah turned around. A boy of looking 16 stood before her, she was 15 herself, but he was so handsome. He had dark hair, and emerald eyes, a beautiful color of green.

He was very tall, almost as tall as her father had been. He had broad shoulders, and strong looking arms and hands. But, he looked not as he had earned his mussels from working in a field, or any manual labor. They looked natural, right, for him.

He was, fairly tan. Not looking TO tan, but like he had worked in the sun lately.

"How do you know my name?" she asked as she stood up. Looking him up and down, she saw he dressed very nicely, then, she looked down at her own clothes, simple country clothes.

"We have know each other for all time," he said simply. She nooded, she understood what he ment, well, almost. It seemed as if she knew him from somewhere. But, she could not find him anywhere in her memories.

"Okay? Anyways... Do I have the pleasure of knowing my companion?" she asked.

"Oh, how rude of me, my name is Phelias," he said giving a little bow. She smiled, _Hmmm, so this man has manners? ...Very nice._ She curtsied and they both laughed. The sun, darkened for a second and they both looked up.

"I must go now, my love. We shall meet again," He said, and started to walk off, toward the bottom of the hill. _My Love?_

"Wait! When will I see you again?" She yelled after him, lifting her right arm as she ran after him for a moment. He didn't answer, then, her eyes flew open. And, her sister was smiling down at her.

"Who is this Phelias?"

*****

It was humiliating, her sister bothered her ALL week about her dream prince, it seemed that not every night he could visit her, but she did see him again.

Almost every night, Areala would hear Sarah mumbling in her sleep about Phelias, and would giggle. In the morning Sarah would awake to see her sister laughing beside her.

The only thing that was good about this, was there was a man that Sarah was beginning to love.

The problem was that he wasn't real. Sarah was sure he was just a figment her imagination thought up because Sarah was incredibly lonely. The only time she didn't feel lonely, other than when she was with Phelias, was when she was in Velatius Forest. The forest was forbidden to go in, for there was told to be fearsome creatures in it's depths.

But, she could feel complete there. Listening to the sounds of the animals, the sounds of the forest **living**. The only bad thing was, Kale, had found her in there one day, when he was going out to fish the river. He had crossed the small bridge that crossed over the river, to find a good fishing spot on that side, and spotted her through the branches.

He almost told mother, when Sarah said she would give him her share of corn bread for a month, and cornbread was really the only good thing that happened to this family once a week. But, that didn't matter, as long as she was alone, in her quiet place...

It seemed, as Kale, didn't want, or did, tell mother, even after the month was up.

One night, when she was having trouble sleeping, she snuck out of bed, climbed out of her window and she ran to the forest. She sat in her usual place, in a hallowed out part of a tree at the bottom. She could see the whole forest, and not be seen by any.

She sat and put her head against the back of the tree. She cried, for herself, her dead father, her fake lover, and for the world.

Her mother, after the day she screamed at Sarah, worked her almost to death. Doing all the chores and waiting on her mother every second.

She stopped crying when she heard a rustling outside. She stuck her head out of the tree. Her hair flowed and touched the round as she leaned out. Bother hands furmly on the ground, standing on her knees.

"Hello?" She called, no answer came back to her.

"Hello?" She called louder. Nothing, nothing at all. Nothing but the sound of the wind, and the sound of the animals looking for food.

She shrugged and scuttled back into her old possistion. Putting her head back against the tree, she sighed.

The rustling started again. She crawled out of the tree and stood. Looking around, she saw a huge shadow illuminated against the moon.

She started to scream. Running for her life, she ran back into the house and cuddled up next to Areala. Shivering, she whispered into the darkness the monster she saw.

"Dragon"


	2. Alone

**Chapter 2: Alone**

"No! I did see a Dragon!" Sarah desperately was trying to convince her sister. Her sister had seen her leave the room, and had seen her return like a frighten kitten.

"I still think you're over reacting. You were tired. It was probably nothing," her sister wasn't convinced. Sarah, flustered and embarrassed, ran out to the river.

It was a cloudy day and the sun shined behind the clouds. Sarah looked up into the sky and knew it would rain soon.

She walked along the river and watched the sky, the birds, the plants, the river, everything except where she was going. She did not care or want to know where she was going. She let her mind go blank, and just fallowed the river.

She sighed, shaking her head. _What if I really didn't see a Dragon? Could it be that I was just tired? I doubt it, I wouldn't do that... I DID see a Dragon, s_he thought.

She walked across the bridge, going to the other side of the river. Walking close to the edge of the forest she looks in, in the daylight, it seems just fine, but, it still seemed menacing to her now. After seeing a dangerous creature in it's depths, she was afraid to go back in.

_Does this mean I will never go in again?_ This was her special place, her quiet place... What if she never went in again? What would she do without it?

She walked alongside the forest, not paying attention, she didn't notice. She was to far into her own mind to see in front of her.

Then, startled from her thoughts, she saw the monster from her encounter the night before. Right outside of the forest, was a beautiful dragon. It was walking toward the river.

It didn't seem so scary in the sunlight. It had shining white scales, that seemed to gleam and glitter against all the other things of the earth. Everything else seemed unimportant to it's magnificence. It had huge wings, tucked onto it's back. If, it unfurled them, they would probably be even bigger then the dragon itself. Since, the wings where, almost as long as the dragon, not counting for it's neck.

It's snout was long and pointed. You'd expect teeth to be sticking out of it's jaw, but there wasn't a single one. It's eyes where big, shaped almost like almonds, instead of like cat's eyes. It's ears where quiet large, well, if they where on humans. But, the ears seemed to fight him. The pointed out from it's head. It's face, seemed to look powerful but, harmless at the same time.

The dragon had spikes running all down both sides of it's face. And, instead of spikes down it's back, like most people said dragon's had, it looked to have white fur, running down, from the top of it's eyes, all the way to the tip of it's tail.

It was very close to the ground, for a dragon, and it had four toes on each foot. At the end of each toe where a long, curled claw. They where black, one of the only black things on the dragon's body.

The dragon was very... Lizard like. But, it wasn't lizard at all, Sarah could tell.

The dragon looked like it could kill a man with a single blow, but, Sarah wasn't afraid of it. It's eyes are what got her. They were Emerald green. It looked as if it wouldn't want to hurt her.

It put it's massive head into the water and drank. It gulped down the water. Sarah was surprised that the dragon didn't lower the water by a good amount, but it didn't.

Looking and wondering, Sarah started to walk forward. Not consciously, but more of an impulse.

Closer she came, about 5 feet away from the dragon. Then, the dragon's great head came out of the water and looked at her.

She froze, holding her breath. She had heard from the villagers, if you freeze and stop moving, then a dragon couldn't see you. _Hopefully the villagers weren't making up stories when they said this..._

"You do not need to be afraid," she heard a voice, it seemed to be coming from her own head, but she did not thing it. She looked around.

"Who said that?" she asked.

"I, the Dragon," She looked at the creature. It was nodding, and looking thoughtfully at her, almost like it was about to laugh at her stupidity. _How can this creature talk? I had heard that they where stupid beasts. _

She not knew what to say. The Dragon kept looking at her, the laughter draining from his eyes, replaced by sadness.

"Are you who I saw last night?" Sarah asked.

"Yes," he nodded, sadness written all over his features.

"I'm sorry I screamed, I hadn't seen you in the full light, and you startled me." She felt bad for him, it seemed that she had hurt his feelings, badly... _I still do not understand this creature... Does it have feelings or doesn't it?_

"It is alright. I understand," the Dragon muttered. Then it looked her up and down.

It lifted it's mighty head and roared, a earthy sound. Sounding like big pots clanking together.

Sarah covered her ears, the sound was so sad, that even Sarah had started crying.

The dragon looked at her, it then closed it's mouth. It uncurled it's massive wings and jumped at her.

Falling to the ground she screamed trying to hold her arms up, as to protect her face. Closing its claws around her, it jumped up into the air. Flying from the ground, at speeds that birds could only dream of reaching.

Then, it started to rain.


	3. Beginnings

**Chapter 3: Beginnings**

"How have you been Sarah?" Phelias asked her. They sat next to each other, under Sarah's dream tree.

Phelias lay his left arm against her shoulders, and Sarah rested her head on his left shoulder. She closed her eyes, and sighed. She was content.

With her eyes sill closed she muttered, "I will be ok, I hope... But..." It was hard for her to think of troubling things, when she was so blissfully happy. It seemed as if her mind was full of clouds, and she could not find her way to those troubling thoughts.

"But?" He whispered. His voice told of a great joy, and Sarah smiled. She was glade that she could bring him such joy, just by sitting with him.

Sarah, with her eyes still closed, felt his hand begin to stroke her hair.

"It... well..." And, with that, she opened her eyes, faced him, eye to eye, and told him of her adventures up to this point, of the Dragon.

He stared at her, with a look of fear. But, not shock as she had imagined. _He is not shocked to discover I was taken by a Dragon? A monster of Myths and Nightmares?_

"I think the Dragon is still carrying me right now," She looked at him. "Will I still be able to talk to you where I'm going?" She asked in panic, without him, she wouldn't know if she could even go on. Which was... strange for her to say to herself. _I-... I do not love him do I? Well... maybe not yet._

"Where ever you are, I'll find you," He said with a smile. She sighed with a smile starting to appear on her mouth. _Good. I would miss him terribly if I couldn't talk to him... _He smiled at her, the smile was a reassurance, as if he was happy she would miss him! Shock, covered her face for a moment. _How-_

Then, his voice interrupted her thoughts. He was closer to her face than she had expected, and his eyes sparkled down at her.

"Until next time, my love," He leaned in and kissed her cheek. Then, he whispered into her ear,

"Now awake."

Sarah's eyes fluttered open.

She still felt the dragon's claws around her.

She felt the wind, pulling against her body as a thousand strings. Pulling at her hair and face, her clothes and self. She felt drained and worn out, like her soul had flew away with the wind.

Her family was gone. Her home was gone. Her forest was gone. Her LIFE was gone...

"Not much longer now," the dragon rumbled. It sounded as if it had just woken up also.

"Why did you kidnap me?" she screamed up to the Dragon, but it did not reply. M_aybe the wind tore it out of my mouth before it could reach it? _She did not know.

She looked up at the dragon's wings. They flew with the grace and power of an Eagle. She was riding on Eagle's Wings...

*****

She awoke on the cold hard floor of a cave.

_How rude! Just flop me on the ground, on the wet cold floor. _She pushed her face off the cave floor. Sitting up, she looked around. There was beautiful tapestries and pictures all over the walls. There was a place where a bed was supposed to go, but was not there yet.

The walls where shaped in a circular shape, and it was actually quiet large. It seemed as, towards the back, it narrowed a bit. So- instead of circular, it was more of an egg shape. The was sparkled, even from the small light, that seemed to be coming from the hall, behind her.

It was actually quiet beautiful.

There was a bowl where it looked as if she could wash her face and hands. She sighed, _Is this beast intending me to stay here?_ She stood up, looked around, and saw a door, or an opening, in the cave wall.

She walked out, onto a platform. It was jetting out, from where she was, and was higher than any of the rest of the floor, for this area at least. There where stares, just her size, on the right side of the platform. _Built just for me..._ she chuckled at this thought.

The cave seemed to be made of the same stone as her room, but it didn't shine so brightly, probably from use.

There where many small holes in the ceiling, many of which light did not come through, but seemed to be tunnels that leaded deeper into... well what ever this cave was in. But, maybe, three or four of the holes, had light from the sun, shining through them.

Then, a ways off of the platform, where five ponds, filled to the brim with boiling lava. All of the lava, looked as if it would spit out and get her, even though it was a ways off, and couldn't get her. It bubbled and popped many times, while she took in her surroundings.

All the pools, dotted random places in the huge cave room.

To her right farther off, was a huge door. Big enough, for the largest of beast to get through.

"That is the Hot Springs, or as the others call it." Startled from the other voice Sarah turned around. The dragon, the dragon that had dragged her from her home, and forced her to come to this place. Was standing behind her...

He sparkled in the light coming form the holes in the top of the cave. As before, nothing, was as beautiful as his beauty. The sparkling cave, that she had thought was so beautiful, was nothing to her now.

Sighing, she asked "What is your name?" she said, looking at the dragon. She did not have the patients, or the talent to talk to him calmly for very long.

He looked at her, as if he knew that she was angry with him.

"My name is... Xelis," he said quietly. He then looked down, at the floor, as if he was ashamed.

"Anyways," He said, shaking his head, as if to shake his feelings away. "The other dragons call it the Hot Springs," he repeated.

"Ah."

"And, that is, the 'Window' even though it isn't a window at all. It's just what the dragons us to go out of the cave," he said, pointing to a large hole in the side of the cave, with light coming through it.

It was to her left, and it was just, a freakishly huge hole, that, even from this strange angle, Sarah could see the trees. ... The outside world...

Sarah turned from the Window, looking at Xelis.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked him. "And, Tell me the truth." She knew, many people would lie, many people still do.

"I had to," he said simply. The way he said it, he sounded as if he would not go any more into the matter, so she let it drop.

"How long am I to stay here?" she asked him. _So... So many questions... Do I even want to know the answers?_

"As long as you desire," He said, smoke flowing from his nostrils for a moment, "But, I would suggest you stay for a while."

He moved up closer to her, pleading, begging her to stay... With those eyes...

She could tell, he must of had a good reason of kidnaping her. _Or, he just wants to eat me._ She paused in her thoughts. _If he wanted to eat me, he could have done it when I was asleep, or even before he started to fly..._

"I'll stay a while." She finally said.

Xelis, the dragon, sighed, letting out air from his mouth. As if he had been holding his breath.

"Thank you, thank you so much," He whispered into her mind.

"You have no idea how much this means to me..."


	4. Love Thoughts

**Chapter 4: Love Thoughts**

* * *

She walked through the corridors of the caves after talking to Xelis. He had said that she could go anywhere she wanted, but he had said, "As, long as you don't get lost," ya, like she would get lost! _Ok, I'm completely lost, but I'll find my way someday... _She didn't like that 'someday'.

As she walked she saw many 'ponds' (lava filled ponds). Xelis had said that there where many dragons living in the cave. Then, where were they? She had seen none since she had come here.

_Aren't Dragons 'intelligent' creatures? Are they AFRAID of me?! _That thought came into her mind. Humans have killed dragons for centuries, so, of course they where afraid, even if she could not touch them.

She turned into a large door, that looked as if a giant could pass through, but that was just because she was small.

She turned and froze. A large blue dragon was asleep, wrapped around a nest of huge Dragon eggs. There was only about 3 in the nest, but each dragon egg was the size of a Watermelon, and were a white color, with blue spots.

The Dragon was small, compared to Xelis, but was still huge. She had wings that sparkled, and at the end of her tail, she had a row of menacing looking spikes. On her back, she had ridges that were sharped and curved. She looked more graceful than powerful. But Sarah had no doubt in her mind that this dragon could kill a man, just by looking at him.

Sarah stepped back, intending to leave, but the dragon's eyes opened, a light blue color. It looked at her with no fear, or remorse.

"Hello little human," she sang, Sarah could tell it was a Female, because, well, what other dragon would be protecting the eggs? A mother's love, a mother would give her life for her children, so of course this female was protecting her eggs.

"Um, hello?"

"Hello, I am Kelata, and I suppose you are Sarah correct?"

"Yes, I am, how do you know my name?"

"All the dragons have been talking about your arrival," her eyes, had a laughing quality to them, like she was smiling at an inside joke. Confused she looked at the eggs.

"Are those yours?" she asked, pointing at the huge Watermelon eggs.

"Yes, My mate's name is Geliyx, have you met him yet?" she said, looking at her eggs and purring.

"No, you are the first dragon I have met, other than Xelis."

"Well," Standing up she said, "I better take you back to him."

"I can find my way back!" she protested. Kelata gave her one of those 'Uh, hu, okay' looks. Sarah sighed and fallowed Kelata out of the room, to be with Xelis.

*****

Laying on the new bed in her 'cave room' tired and sad, she thought. _What happened to my family? Are they running around looking for me? Or, do they even care? Well, I know that Areala will be looking for me. AW! I hate having to make them worry. I doubt that Mother is looking for me though, she probably made an excuse like, "AW, It's raining, lets wait till it stops." She never rally did care for me... s_ighing, she rolled over, and closed her eyes. Drifting to sleep, after her exhausting day.

She opened her eyes again in her dream place, where she always met Phelias. She smiled to herself. Sarah then sat up, looking around, until she spied Phelias, smiling wider, she got up on to her feet and started to walk to him, then saw him frowning.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she got closer to him.

"Oh, nothing..." frown deepening, he put up his hand under his chin, as if her was thinking.

"Are you thinking? Because, if you are, what are you thinking about?"

"You, I was thinking about how to REALLY meet you. But, it doesn't help if you're living with Dragons."

"This is good enough for now, Phelias," she said, slipping her arm between his arm and rapping her fingers in his.

He smiled down at her, "You're right. No matter where either of us is, we can find each other in our dreams." Sarah made a face at this, _In our Dreams? Sounds like something they would say in a Nursery Rhyme, but it was true. No matter how far we go, or how close, we will always know where to look for each other. _

He looked at her and started to laugh. He fell to the ground, pulling Sarah with him. He pulled her on top of him.

Laughing she said, "Good sir, a little eager are we?" Phelias leaned up and kissed her cheek. They laughed for a while, Sarah leaned her head on Phelias' chest.

"I love you Sarah," she heard Phelias whisper, but she didn't respond, she did not know. She had not felt this way about anyone before, but she still wasn't sure it was love. The love where the one would do anything for the other. Where they would sacrifice their lives and soules to be together. She wasn't ready for that yet. _Hopefully,_ she thought _He'll think I haven't heard him..._

She could feel herself slipping, starting to wake up.

"Good morning my love," Phelias said with a laugh, he jumped up, and brought her with him. Hugging her, he let her go and smiled.

Her eyes flew open, looking up at the top of the cave. _He loves me! _She said with a shiver, happy, but afraid.

_What if I don't end up loving him?_


	5. Meetings and Greetings

**Chapter 5: Meetings and Greetings**

* * *

Sitting at a stone table, she at the breakfast that Xelis brought her. Eating the wonderful meal. Eggs, Toast, fresh Milk, Sausage, and a bunch of other goodies!

"How did you get all this?" she said in amazement. She had heard that Dragons were never seen, and where secluded, well if they had all of this, of course they weren't! It seems everything she had heard about dragons had been false.

"Dragons are specially good cooks, we even raise our own livestock."

"Wow, dragons are far more intelligent then I had heard," she laughed, _Of course! What if you where in the middle of no where, and all you could do was tell stories, of course these people made up things to entertain themselves and their neighbors! _

"Yes, most people see us as dumb stupid beasts, do you see us as that?" he asked, looking at her with those green eyes again.

"No, Dragons are, or so I've seen so far, intelligent creatures that have feelings," she said with a nod. Xelis smiled at her. You might wonder how a dragon could smile at you, they can do it, I assure you!

"Sound the alarm!" Sarah looked around.

"What's happening?" she shouted over the noise. The dragons had started to run around, rushing, heading for the Window.

"The scouts have seen a human coming to the cave!" Xelis shouted at her. _Dragons have scouts?_

"Xelis!" A red dragon ran into the cave from the Window. He had a large head, and hade big spikes running all the way down his back, he looked very menacing. He was one of the bigest Dragons she had ever seen. His eyes where a strange yellow color, taht you would expect from a cat. His pupils were even shaped like a cats! He had several teeth sticking out of his top jaw, and he looked as if he owned the place.

"Yes, Geliyx?" he asked, jumping from the ledge they had been eating from, he landed on the ground with a lard smack.

"You're Geliyx?!" she asked startled.

"Yes, I am Geliyx, silly human," he said with a chuckle. "Not very smart are they?" He said, pointing with his tail at her. Crossing her arms with a 'Humph' she, glared at him, not an evil glare, just a... glare!

"What do you need Geliyx?" Xelis asked.

"Oh, right. There's a human outside, and is yelling for your little friend over there," he said, pointing to Sarah, yet again.

"Areala?" she said, looking at Xelis, sadness darkened in his eyes and he dropped his head.

"I'll be right back!" she said, dropping to the floor, not as graceful as Xelis. Hitting the bottom, she fell. Jumping right back up she ran out of the cave.

"AREALA!" she yelled, running out of the cave, past the Scout dragons, and into the forest.

"Sarah?" Sarah turned, and almost plowed over her sister.

"Areala! I've missed you so much! How has everyone been? What's happened since I left?"

"Sarah, did you leave on purpose?" The question shocked Sarah.

"No, I was taken against my will, but I have begun to like it here!" she said with a smile. She then noticed how her sister looked.

"What happened to you?"

Areala had rags for clothes, her dress had sleeves no longer, and it had holes that looked as if it was patched up in multiple places. Her face was grimy and dirty, it covered all her freckles. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun, you could see that hair was starting to fall out since she put her hair up. She was bare foot.

"I've been looking for you night and day since you left," ahe said with a sigh.

"I've only been gone for about three days," Sarah looked at her sister, she looked as if she had been out for weeks.

"I've been looking for nine days now Sarah." Sarah's world swirled. _Nine days? WHAT, HOW?! _

Then, it went black.

*****

"Sarah? Are you ok?" _Ugh, My head... _Sarah opened her eyes. She saw her sister Areala holding her up, and Xelis was leaning over her, looking down on Sarah.

"Ugh, what happened?" Sarah moaned.

"You fainted," Xelis said, quietly, as to not scare her or anything.

She looked at Xelis, "I've been here nine days?" she asked starting to get up, her sister pushed her down, and shook her head.

"No, it took 3 days to fly here, You've only been here 3 days."

"But, that only makes six... how long do I usually sleep?" she asked, she couldn't be sleeping for days could she?

"Only for about eight hours a day..."

"This doesn't add up then..." she said, standing up, Alreala not stopping her. "How could she have been looking for me nine days, and I've only been gone six?!" She started to yell, hysterical.

"Erm, that's my falt Sarah," Sarah turned around and looked at her sister, "I said nine because I wanted you to think I started looking for you as soon as you disappeared. But, I really have been looking for you for five days. Mother made us wait to look for you," She said, looking embarrassed.

"So, I've been gone just six days?" she said with a sigh, "Good, because I thought I was starting to go crazy!" she said laughing.

"What are you going to do know Sarah?" Xelis asked. This question came out of the blue, and startled Sarah.

"I said I would stay awhile, I'm not ready to leave yet."

"But, Sarah! Kale went sick with worry once you were gone!"

"Kale? OUR Kale was worried about ME?!" she asked, almost falling on the ground with shock.

"Well, it doesn't matter," she said, shaking off her shock, "I made a promise, and I'm a woman of my word," she said walking over to Alreala.

"I love you so much, tell Mother and the family that I'm fine and happy, and I'll come visit you soon."

"But-"

"I love you Areala," she said, giving her a hug.

"Now, go," she said pushing her sister off in the separate direction. Her sister frowned at her, but went.

"Good-bye"

"Good-bye, for now," Sarah whispered.


	6. Bright Lights

**Chapter 6: Bright Lights**

* * *

Sarah's eyes shot open, as she heard someone, or something walk into her 'room cave'.

"Hello?" she looked at the dark shape, moving into the room.

"Hello?!" she repeated, no answers. It looked as if it was a dragon, it was the same shape, and she could see the tail lagging behind.

"Sarah, are you awake?" she heard Xelis' voice.

"Yes, of course!" she said laughing. "What is it?"

"Come with me," he said simply and walked back out of the cave. Sarah, climbing out of the bed, stumbled out of the room.

Walking out, it seemed as though the hole cave, was alight, with lava crystals, they glow red, and only shine at night, _I need some for my room,_ she thought with a laugh.

"Are you coming?" Xelis asked, she looked around, he was standing outside a tunnel, on the far right.

"I'm coming." walking over to him, she stood beside him. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Silence came over them as they walked, a very awkward silence.

"Are you enjoying your stay here?"

"Very much," then, it was silent. Sarah had meet many dragons since she had come to stay here, and she loved to learn how they lived and thought. It was amazing how they thought and worked. She smiled, she had spent many of her days with a newly hatched dragon named Vera. She had been orphaned, her parents where unknown. She said that her parents died protecting her, since, dragons can still hear outside there egg when they are a certain weeks old.

Vera hatched a week before Sarah came here, and already Vera was up to Sarah's waist. Vera was a beautiful green color, her scales shined, even when she wasn't in the light. Her back spikes had not grown in yet, and her wings still were developing, so she couldn't fly yet. In about a month, Vera should be about half her expected height.

Sarah spent many of her hours with her, and Xelis. Vera, she had a interesting look on life, and this seemed funny to Sarah. Sarah loved Vera though, like a daughter or sister.

"What are you thinking about?" Xelis said this, sounding tortured.

"I'm thinking about my new life here and the dragons I've meet," she assured him, smiling up at Xelis. "I was thinking about how much I enjoy your company, and Vera's."

"Why?" She asked him.

"I was merely curios," he said, smiling, caught in the act, he looked embarrassed. Sarah shrugged it off. While walking, she started to hum, singing the words in her head.

"_At night the crow flies"_

"_It yells it's sad song"_

"_The wolf walks through the forest"_

"_It howls at the moon it's sad, sad life"_

"_But, the sparrow sings, it sings of love, and hate"_

"_It sings of life and death"_

"_It sings of happiness and sorrow"_

"_But it does not sing of it's sadness, because-"_

"_Why sing of sadness if you are alive?"_

"What do you sing?" Xelis asked, when she was done.

"Oh, it's a song my father used to sing to me every night, before I went to sleep," frowning, new grief of her dead father shot through her body, almost knocking her to the ground, she stopped walking.

"Is there something wrong?" Xelis asked, he stopped walking and looked back at her.

"Ow, I just miss my dad, that's all, He died early last year." Frowning at this, _Why did I tell him that? It doesn't concern him! Its so easy to tell him things... That I wouldn't tell anyone else... _She sighed. She started to walk again, seeing her 'okay' he started again too.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's not your fault," she said, one lone tear sliding down her cheek. She swiped it from her face before Xelis could see it. Xelis frowned down at her.

"I wish I could help..." he sighed.

Then, his head, snapped up and he said, "We're here." Sarah looked up, into the corridor.

"Oh, wow!" The corridor, was lined with Water stones, blue light lining the walls, in the back of the cave, it opened up, so you can see the full moon out of it, it was very close looking. You could see every valley every crater. There were thousands of starts in the sky. It was the most beautiful thing Sarah had ever seen.

"It's so beautiful Xelis!" she said smiling.

And, there Xelis and Sarah sat long into the night talking and watching the sky.


	7. Confessions

**Chapter 7: Confessions**

* * *

"You bend down like this, then you flutter your wings and jump over each other!" Vera said excitedly.

"One problem though," Sarah turned around and shook her 'back' (ok, her butt) at Vera.

"Oh, right... You don't HAVE wings..." Vera was trying to teach Sarah one of the many games that Vera played in the Nursery with the other hatchlings. One of the only complication was that Sarah didn't always have the parts required to play the game.

"Erm... If only you were a dragon..." Sarah turned and looked at Vera.

"Oh, am I not good enough for you?" she said with a smile.

"Oh, no. It's not that. It would just be like three times the fun if you were a dragon!" she said, smiling even wider. Sarah frowned at that.

"Hm... Truly, I've never been happier in my life," _Except when I'm with Phelias_, But she didn't say that out loud, "I've never really had anyone care, or love me before. Sometimes, I wish I could have been born a dragon, I feel as if I'm completely home here." she said with a smile.

"REALLY?! YOU WANT TO BE A DRAGON!" Vera squealed, starting to hop up and down.

"What? What, yes of course, I feel as if I could be a dragon if I was reborn... Why are you acting like this?"

"AW! WE COULD PLAY ALL DAY, no, _ALL YEAR_ IF YOU WERE A DRAGON! AND WE COULD PLAY ALL THE GAMES!!!" she stopped jumping, and pondered something for a second.

"How old are you?" she asked, looking strait into Sarah's eyes.

"You are very off topic now aren't ya? Well, I'm fifteen why?" she asked, in reply.

Vera started to jump up and down again. "YES, YES, **YES!**" She squealed, she stopped jumping and started to run around in circles.

"What? What are you doing? Why is that a good thing?"

"XELIS WILL BE SOOOOO HAPPY!" She smiled, then her eyes got big and she stopped spinning, putting her paw in front of her mouth. "oops..." She said. Her eyes started to fill with tears, big, fat, alligator tears.

"Aw, come here Vera," Sarah came and wrapped her arms around the little dragon's body, sitting on the ground, Vera and her were at the same height.

Then, Vera's tears started to flow freely, and she shook, "X-X-Xelis told m-me to ask you t-that... H-He wanted T-T-T-To know I-If you would like it-t-t he-r-re." She stuttered, trying to talk through her tears.

Sarah frowned. _Why would it matter to him if I wanted to stay here? _

"I-I'm no-t-t supposed to even t-t-tel-l-l you thi-s-s-s..." Sarah nodded.

"I completely understand Vera."

"You do?" Vera asked, looking down at her, the last tear, slowly leaving her cheek.

"I won't tell Xelis, if you won't tell him you said this, kay?" she said smiling.

Vera smiled back at her, "Okay!" she said, her usual happiness sprouting once again.

"Vera! It's lunch time! Get back in here!" They both turned around at the sound of the Nanny that took care of all the hatchlings.

"I have to go now Sarah," Vera said, jumping up and running out of the cave.

"BY!" Sarah called after her. Now, Sarah was alone with her own thoughts. _Why did Xelis want to know if I wanted to be a Dragon?_

*****

Sarah lay in her bed, waiting for sleep to take her, but she was having quit the trouble going to sleep that night. _Why? _Flew through her head, a thousand questions. _Why does he care? Why ask if I wanted to be a DRAGON? Why? WHY? WHY? __**WHY?**_

Yawning, she tried to quiet her mind. She thought of Phelias, Vera, Areala, Xelis, Kelata, Geliyx, and all the other dragons, and people she loved. Tired from her day, she closed her eyes, welcoming the quiet sleep waiting for her.

Her eyes flew open, looking up at the familiar sky. _I am talking to Phelias tonight!_ She thought smiling. She had gotten to talk to him less lately, and she had missed him.

She almost tripped over herself getting up. She started to laugh.

"Here, let me help you." she heard the voice of her prince, but something was wrong with it. It sounded cold and dark.

"Thank you," she whispered when he helped her up. He looked her up and down. Since she had come to live with the dragons, Xelis had gotten many fine dresses for her. Many were the color red, he said that color suited her. Many of the dresses where embroidered with beautiful pictures of Dragons.

He continued to look at her with darkness in his beautiful green eyes.

"Sarah-"

Her eyes began to fill with tears, she knew this was happening, this had happened once before, when she was twelve. She was stupid, and she thought she was in love. But, the boy that she had supposed to have 'loved' her, had started with the same line, and he had, had the same darkness that was in Phelias' eyes right now.

"NO! Don't say it!" She screamed. She took her hands and pushed them up to her head, right above her ears. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"What have I done Phelias? I LOVE YOU!" She screamed, because, she knew that no one would hear her, she could be as loud as she wanted. She started to shake her head frantically. "No, no, no, no." She whispered to herself. The tears started to flow now.

"Nothing you have done..." He said, quietly. The darkness in his eyes lifted for a moment, when she said 'I love you' but, they darkened again quickly.

"It is me." he said.

"NO! THAT'S WHAT THEY ALL SAY!" she screamed.

"PLEASE TELL ME THE TRUTH!" He pondered this for a second. Sarah had removed her arms from her head, and now rapped her arms around herself, she rocked back and forth on her feet.

"I can not love you." She stopped crying for a moment and looked at him.

"I can not allow myself to love you, I will only make you have to separate from your family." he muttered.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I want you to go home Sarah." This confused her, because to her she was home.

"I want you to leave the cave Sarah." His eyes met hers, and she finally understood.

"Xelis?"

* * *

**Authors Note: ok, while I was writing this chapter, the words just flowed, and _I _was even shocked at the turn I had taken. At the end of the chapter, I was neer tears!!! XD**


	8. Goodbye

**Chapter 8: Goodbye**

* * *

"Yes, I am Xelis," he said calmly. She shook her head, _How could Phelias and Xelis be the same?!_

"I can't look to see you here any more..." he looked at the ground.

"So, is this the end?" she asked quietly, she started to cry once more.

He looked at her and looked saddened to see her this way, "I'm so sorry." He walked around and tried to put his arms around her. But, she shook them away.

"Why are you doing this to me?" she finally chocked out.

He looked at her, "Because, I have taken enough from you already."

*****

"NO DON'T LEAVE SARAH!" Vera cried. Vera literary had her paws wrapped around Sarah's ankles. She was crying and screaming.

"I must," she whispered, "I haven't seen my family in ages." She used that as an excuse. "Please, let go of my legs," she said. Vera sniffled and let go. Sarah neeled down and hugged her.

"I'll miss you so much," They both said at the same time. They shared a small laugh, then Sarah got up and went to say goodbye to the rest of her friends.

Since she had woken up, she had not seen Xelis once. She packed her things, and was leaving. _He never even came to say goodbye_. All the other dragons had come to see her go.

She felt as if part of her heart had been ripped out.

She felt so empty, Phelias or Xelis, didn't want her. Her mother had never wanted her, so what was there to go back to?

"I hope you can come back and visit us," Kelata said while she hugged Sarah. Kelata's eggs had hatched since she had stayed here, and there were two beautiful blue females, and one red male, like his father.

"So do I," but, she really doubted it. Xelis REALLY wanted her to go.

She stood right next to the outside world, she could feel the cool breeze, and she could smell the grass and the trees. The sun felt so good on her face, but she couldn't bare to go.

"Goodbye..."

*****

Sarah walked down the familiar road to her house. She loved feeling the cool grass on her feet.

But, she was not herself, nor did she feel like herself either. She felt permanently changed by the dragons. One lone tear shot down her face.

Everyone that had ever loved her, had rejected her. Well, not her father, but he was dead, what did that help? Her mother had never loved her, and Xelis just abandoned her. What to do now?

She walked in site of the house, and saw he sister kneeling on the edge of the river, washing clothes. Her sister heard her footsteps and looked up.

"Sarah? SARAH!" she jumped up and ran to her sister. "I thought you'd never come back!" she said laughing. Sarah smiled, _well, at least SOMEONE missed me... _

"Are you just visiting?" her sister asked.

"No, I'm here to stay..." her sister smiled, and she hugged Sarah even tighter.

"KALE EVERYONE! SARAH'S HOME!" she yelled and ran inside the house.

Everyone ran out the door, her two younger brothers almost knocked her down, and her mother stood in the doorway saying, "What do you know?"

She smiled at her two little brothers.

"I missed you SSOOO much!" Kale yelled, "I'm sorry, I won't ever be a bother again!" she smiled, ruffling his golden hair. He looked up with his hazel eyes, he had a grin on his face, then he buried his face into her clothes, he was about to her chin now. Her other brother, Jonathan, had black hair, and drown eyes, he was just a little shorter than Kale.

The boys almost dragged her into the house.

"You are never going to leave us again!" Kale almost yelled at her. Sarah frowned, she never left on purpose, but if she had the chance, she would leave again.

She missed Kelata, and Vera, and most of all Xelis. Now that she knew she loved him, her heart ached to be away from him. Her chest felt as if it was on fire, it burned, and it throbbed.

Her heart was gone.


	9. Depression

**Chapter 9: Depression**

For many weeks after Sarah left the dragons, she worked and worked hard. She worked to forget, she worked to not feel.

But, there were those chores that only occupied the hands and not the mind.

When she washed clothes, it was a job for the hands. So, by the time she was done, she was almost paralyzed with grief. Her eyes would tear, and she would start to shake. When she got into the house, she almost was bed ridden for the rest of the day.

Her sister had noticed this and was concerned. One night Areala confronted her.

"This has gotten way out of line Sarah," she said, a frown forming on her face.

"You have got to get over these dragons!" Areala was the only one that knew about the dragons, her parents thought she got taken by some robbers, nothing had happened to her, but 'finally' she escaped. "You've been home a month now, and I still hear you cry at night, I still see your tears. This has got to stop."

"You don't understand," was all Sarah replied.

"Oh, no. I think I do. You finally found a place where you belonged, and it's SO horrible to be home!" she exclaimed, tears coming to her eyes.

"Oh, Areala," Sarah rapped her arms around her sister, "I missed you so much when I was gone. I missed talking to you, I missed how you smiled. I MISSED you. I even missed Kyle and Jonathan." Smiling she continued, "NO ONE could replace you Areala."

They hugged and cried. After hugging for a while, Areala broke off and looked her sister in the eyes.

"Why do you miss them so much?"

Sarah looked at her sister; Sarah's eyes had a deep hurt look inside of them.

"Because, they loved me, more than anyone but you could say," Sarah paused, "And, because I fell in love."

Her sister was shocked when she told Areala about everything.

"How could you love a Dragon?"

"Because, he loved me, even when I was unsure myself."

*****

For all the weeks after, her mother complained.

"You need to find a Sutter, girls! You need to jump back on your feet!"

This annoyed Sarah, because she was only fifteen, and Areala was only seventeen.

Her mother was of those, 'OH GUYS' type of women. She was always talking about the single men in the community. There wasn't a lot of single men her age, there was about three.

One was named Thomas. Thomas was a stuck up boy (and I specify 'boy'). His father was the 'richest' man in the community. So, Thomas thought he was every girl's heart throb.

Another was Rhatis, who was a strange black man, or maybe he was tan? But, he didn't even speak English, so, DEFINETLY not a Sutter.

Finally there was Velx, which was a strange name for a young Christian man, But_, who am I to judge?_ He was a fine man, I suppose. He was pretty ugly and pretty poor too.

So, mother has been ranting, and there's really no one to marry! And, Areala was planning to leave to the city, why have her settle down?

*****

The last week, Sarah had been trying to Xelis. But, every time she came to her dream place, she found herself there alone.

And every time she would cry. She would sit at the base of the tree and bawl. Her sorrow would fall finally.

Xelis, no longer cared for her. No man in town ever looked at her, she didn't even care now. Her father was long dead, gone. Her mother only wanted her there so she could kick Sarah out herself. Her sister was leaving for the city in about a week.

She felt so alone.

*****

"I'm leaving tomorrow Sarah, you should come with me, and you will be so lonely here." That was true, since her Love didn't speak to her, and she wouldn't let herself go into the woods, because it reminded her of him. But, she couldn't leave; she had to hold onto the hope that Xelis would want her again.

"No, I can't," she whispered. She hugged Areala, one single tear falling down her cheek, "I can't."

"I understand." Areala smiled at her younger sister. "I will miss you terribly Sarah." Kissing her cheek, Areala left to go pack her things.

_Could things get any worse?_


	10. Commitment

**Chapter 10: Commitment**

* * *

Sarah sat at the table eating her breakfast, dry bread and chesse.

Last week, Areala left for the city, leaving Sarah with only one thing to remember her by. Areala's Locket. It was gold, with the letter A on the front. Inside Areala had a picture of Sarah and her father, those pictures where still in the locket.

"Sarah this is it." Sarah looked up at her mother. Her mother was scowling at her from the other side of the tabel. Her mother had her hands on the table and was leaning over it. Her two brothers sat on eather side of her, they looked down at the table away from their mother, and sister.

"Sarah, I have been thinking..."

"What is it mother?" she sighed she knew what was coming a 'you need to get your life in line' speech.

"Sarah someone has asked to court you." Sarah looked at her mother shocked.

"Me?"

"Yes you silly!" she smiled for the first time in months, but it was a fake smile.

"Who is it?"

"Well, more of I ASKED him to court you." she smiled at Sarah.

"Dear Thomas has agreed to marry you!"

Sarah's world began to spin.

"THOMAS!" she screamed, "STUCK UP THOMAS!" she stood up, her chair cluttering as it feel backwards onto the floor.

"Yes Dear, settle down!" Mother's hands shot up to show as if she had no weapon in her hands.

"This is for your own good, Sarah. You need to get over your captors," she said starting to smirk. Sarah sighed, knowing her mother could not be persuaded.

"Mother, I am only fifteen."

"That's when I got married to your father Deary, fifteen." Sarah thought a moment.

"Can I think this over?" Sarah asked in a quiet, calm tone.

"Of course." Sarah left the tables as it was, and ran to the room she no longer shared. She flung herself onto her bed.

_How could I marry him if I love another?_

*****

Her eyes fluttered open and she saw the blue sky once again. _I must have fallen asleep._

She sighed, _I wasn't even trying to talk to him. He just loves to tourcher me._

She sat up, and froze when she saw Xelis standing a ways off (in his human form, Phelias, of course).

He looked at her, his eyes told a deep sorrow, that she had felt so much when she had left him.

She saw him, and became furious.

"Oh, you've decided to talk to me now hu?" she said as she got on her feet, crossing her arms and scowling.

"Sarah, you have to understand," he began, but stopped as if waiting for her to respond.

"Understand what? You lead me on, then kick me out, when I'm finally vulnerable?" Sarah said with malice, on her tongue.

"No Sarah, I was trying to give back to you, I was about to take you from your family and I could not do that." he stated to walk toward her.

"You have abandoned me, when I could get hurt the most. You have taken away my friends and family," he looked confused at this. He stopped walking, and stood before her.

"Vera and Kelatta, Gliyx, they are ALL my family!" She glared at him, "I had begun to love it there, I loved you, and my extended family. This is not a usual relationship. How many woman do you know that dream of there true love, and they dream of them. But, it is a different type of dream, we talk, interact..." she began to glare at him. He dropped his head in shame.

He looked back up at her and shook his head, "Back to the point, I have come to worn you."

"Worn me of what?" she stopped glaring, and moved her hands to her hips.

"Do NOT marry Thomas," this exclamation was very strange, _Why did it matter to him? He left me... That tells me he does not want me anymore, maybe he never did..._

"Why does it matter to you? You have no rule over me, you don't love me. Why shouldn't I?" Sarah almost throw the words at him. His eyes darkened with sadness after her harsh words.

"I worn you, it will be the death of us both."

"Well, you can not stop me Xelis," saying fiercely, "I am going to marry him."

* * *

**A/N: This was one of my favorit chapters, because I have been waiting to write it for ever! It was a lot of fun to write, but even _I_ don't know the turn the book is going to take, hope you like it!**


	11. Riches

**Chapter 11: Riches**

* * *

"You have accepted? Splendid!" Her mother said, actually smiling.

"We will tell Thomas today!"

"Today?" Sarah's eyes bulged, Thomas' 'mantion' (it was more of a regular house, made out of bricks instead of wood, which everyone in the community had) was over a days ride away.

Her mother began to push Sarah towards her room. "Now, go get dressed dear."

"Exactly mother, what did you tell him?" Sarah asked as she looked back at her stubby mother.

"Oh, I just said I wanted you to marry him, but wasn't sure you'd agree. His exact words were 'If she agrees, I will definitely take her hand in marriage,' I was even shocked at this," She smiled up at Sarah, "Now Sarah, get changed!"

Sarah's mother threw Sarah into her room and slammed the door. She sighed, _Why did I agree to this?_

*****

Sarah sat in the carriage that her mother had rented, just for the occasion. Sarah sat with her hands in her lap. Sarah's hair was tied up in a bun, on the back of her head. Her mother had put a blue ribbon around it. 'It brings out the color in your eyes' she had said. She was wearing one of her sister's old dresses. It was white, with red roses on the bottom of the skirt, and sleeves. it had yellow trim around the color. It was a very simple dress, but it was the best they had. Sarah was also wearing her Locket.

Her mother was wearing a blue dress, that puffed out at the bottom. The dress was a light blue color, and it even had ruffles at the bottom of the sleeves. Her mother had a feather in her hair, a tall white one, that stuck out in front of her crude bun. And, for once on her life, she wasn't scowling.

"Now, Sarah. I want you on your BEST behaviour all right?" Her mother prompted. _Of course, If I am going to Marry this man, I must make a good impresion. _But, even after telling herself this, she made a face. This man was a stuck up man, and he thought he was so amazing. She could not stand ANYONE like that.

"We are here Madams." Sarah heard the coach driver said from the front seat, outside where he drove the horses.

"All right! Lets do this!" Her mother clapped her hands and almost jumped out of the carriage. Sarah sighed, again.

"Here we go..." she whispered.

*****

"So, what things do you enjoy Sarah?" Thomas looked sideways at her. Thomas was a tall boy, he had blond hair and Sapphire eyes. Most young girls in town thought he was handsome, but Sarah did not see anything special about this man. Sarah looked down at his clothes. He was wearing simple clothes, a white cotton shirt, and tan pants. They pressed against his muscles. These were crude clothes, but that was probubly the reason he wore them, so everyone could see his wonderful muscles.

"Oh, I love to walk in the trees, I love nature, and I love to read," She said. They were waking outside in the families 'garden'. It was small, but still beautiful.

He started to frown, she sighed, "What do you enjoy Thomas?" He smiled down at her.

"You know me so well." _No, it's more of, I know your attitude. Stuck up, snob, high headed, prided..._

"In my free time I play the piano, I study literature, and science," he smiled down at her, "Now, since we know each other a bit, why do you want to marry me Sarah?"

She pondered this question for a moment before answering, " My mother wants me to get married, I no longer need to use her money at home."

He started to laugh, "So, you are going to marry me because you have been told to do so?" This was a serious question, but he continued to smile, as if it was funny. This really annoyed her. _Xelis would not have been laughing. _

When he saw that she was not smiling, and having fun with him, he frowned at her. They had moved into the house and now sat down in some beautiful chairs, that looked very expensive. They were so comfortable, that she almost felt herself sinking into the furniture.

"What? Have I offended you?"

"No, not at all Thomas," Sarah smiled at him, but she wondered if even he thought it was real, because, it felt so fake. But, he just went back to smiling at her.

"Good!" he stated, then he thought, "Oh! I was thinking we should start planing for the wedding in the morning. If you would like Sarah, you and your mother can stay here for the night."

"Thank you very much Thomas, that is very generous of you."

"I know." He got up, and took her hand. She stood up and fallowed him into the rooms. She had to grit her teeth so she would not say a mean retort back at his 'I know'. She was now screaming in her head, _OVER CONFIDENT, STUBBORN, LOW LIFE, ROTTEN, BOY!_


	12. Preparations

**Chapter 12: Preparations**

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She awoke to a woman in black simple clothes. She brange her breakfast in on a silver tray.

Sarah sat up and looked at the young women. She looked to be about Sarah's age, she had short charcoal black hair that might had fallen to her shoulders if it wasn't pulled up in a bun. Her eyes where a clear hazelnut color, and it looked as if she was extremely kind. This girl had no freckles, no blemishes of any kind on that angelic face.

"Good Morning Miss," she said, her voice sounded like bird song. She had a slight German sound as she talked too.

"Good Morning," Sarah sighed, smiling. The girl walked over to the bed, and sat her tray down on the bedside table.

"My name is Elizabeth, if you need anything just pull the rope in the corner of your room to call me." Smiling Elizabeth pointed to a long golden rope, in the far right corner of the room. She then curtsied, and left the room through the huge double doors on the left side of the room.

Sarah, then got her first **real** look at the room.

The room was the biggest room she had ever seen! But, it was still smaller than her cave room when she lived with the dragons. She jumped out of the bed, and looked at it. It had a beautiful color for the spread, a deep red color. _I think he knew that I like red..._ The bed looked to be about as wide as she was long.

She turned from the bed, and looked to her right. Almost next to the bed was a window. The window started at her hips, but then touched the ceiling. The ceiling seemed to only be about 10 feet high. There where crimson drapes pulled up over them. Sarah grasped the drapes and flung them aside so she could see outside.

When she looked out, she could see a mountain, in the distance, with rolling clouds coming over it, and it had white tops. It looked as if it was snowing there.

You could also see Thomas' garden under her. She looked up from that, and all the way from the garden, to the mountain.... There was grass. Grass as far as the eye could she. This brought a tear to her eye. This, the grass... The beauty of it, reminded her of her dream... _Why Xelis, Why?_ But, she shook that away, she had to get over him...

She turned from the window, and saw to her right a closet. It was strange, how all the doors here where bigger than any she had ever seen in a house. Luckily these where not the huge doors that lead out of her room. She suspected it was a small clothes closet, or a storage room.

She was right, there was dresses, shoes, and other accessories as far as the eyes could see! Her eyes boggled out of her head, and her mouth dropped open. She quickly straitened herself, and started to walk down the enclosed space.

She ran her fingers down the frilly and extravagant dresses, that were on each side of her. Now that she though, and now that she was inside, it did not look so huge. She stopped almost at the end, looking for something not as gaudy to wear, because everything looked to fancy for her taste.

She knew, if her mother had saw her like this, her mother would be frowning at her. Sarah shrugged, _Who cares what my Mother thinks? _

Deep in thought, she browsed the room. Then, suddenly she found a dress, that almost looked familiar to her. The dress.... That dress... Embroidered with a red Phoenix on the bottom, the same shape, but a deep sea blue, instead of crimson.

She snatched the dress from the rack, ruffling it into her arms. She hugged it to her breast, smiling. She shook her head, still smiling, and put the dress down so she could put it on.

She slipped the simple sleeping gown that she had worn to bed, onto the floor. Ruffling it off her shoulders and onto the floor.

She shivered in the cold of the early morning, and she quickly slipped the other dress over her head. Adjusting it so it fit tightly around her shoulder and bodice. Smiling, it almost felt like she was back at the cave. But, it quickly slipped away.

She walked out and looked into the mirror standing to the right side of the closet door.

Looking in, she saw herself in the reflection.

The dress looked very good with the tint of her hair, making it seem blonder than it actually was. The dress looked as if it was made out of the waves of the water. It changing colors through out, but it stayed blue. Just different shades.

But, it didn't agree with the tone of her skin, or the color of her eyes. She shrugged and quickly puller her hair in a small bun. The bun stuck up from the top of her head just a bit, and there where small strands of hair, falling out of the bun, but she knew no one but her mother would care.

She walked a little way back into the closet, hoping to find some shoes that went with her dress. She looked on a small shelf just to her left, holding, looking as if it had 50. Only, there was probably only about 12.

She picked a small sky blue pare. There was a small button, the same color as the faberic, on the top of the shoe, where it opened up for the foot to go in. It seemed that Thomas had all things at his dispossal. She shook her head, _Of coarse not!_

She bent down and set the shoes on the ground. They made a small clanking sound, that almost echoed through the closet. She stood up again, and sliped her feet into them. The inside felt soft, and silky. She smiled, it felt so nice. She walked out, and looked at the rest of the room.

There where large double doors to her right. They went from the floor, all the way to the ceiling. The doors where solid white. She looked around the rest. The walls where also white, but with read roses painted into the walls around the edges, near the floor and ceiling. There was two red chairs and a small side tabel also to her right, in the corner.

Feeling ready, she closed the closet door, and walked over to eat her breakfast. Where, Elizabeth had left her tray, on the bedside desk.

She grabed things off the tray, Eggs and Toast. _Well, If you spend all of your money on cloths and furniture, your going to run out by the time you need to buy food._ She chuckled to herself.

After finishing, she stood. She slid her hand down her dress, to get the rest of the crumbs from her breakfast off.

She sighed, as she walked toward the door, knowing she could not delay it any longer.

She stroud up to the large double doors. Grabbing the handles of both doors, she threw them open. The air from the corridor blasted her in the face, it was much colder than the air in her room, so she shivered.

She walked out into the hallway, and turned to shut the doors. The doors shut with a loud bang that echoed that filled the halls. She turned to the opposite wall.

The hallway spanded from right to left. It did not go forward. So, Sarah looked right, seeing nothing of interest, she looked left.

She burst into tears when she say him. Phelias, standing aways down the hall. He was smiling, holding his arms out to her. His Emerald eyes shined.

Then, when she blinked, he was gone.

_Those eyes..._

_Those eyes..._

"WHY!?" She sobbed as she fell to the stone floor. Her sobs echoed through the halls, and she did not care.

She curled her knees up, pushing them up to her chest. She circled her arms around them. She did not care if anyone found her this way.

But, alas, this was a lie. A lie to herself. She knew, if Thomas found her this way. On the floor, sobbing for a past love, he would think... _Well... He would...? _Well, she wasn't sure how he would react. But, she knew that he would definitely postpone, if not cancel, the wedding.

She had to pull herself together. Why? Well, for some reason, now that Xelis was gone, this was her encore to the Earth. Making it so she could not flought to the hevens.

She did not love Thomas, oh no, not at all. But, may be someday...

She stoped crying, and pulled herself up onto her knees. She also unwound her hands from them. Laughing to herself, she whispered to herself.

"No, never."

*****

For the next couple of weeks, spanning all the way to November 25th. That day Thomas, And her mother where arguing about the date for the wedding.

And, she never thought about Xelis, she almost forgot him.

Well, almost...

At night, she knew the servants under her, could hear her sobs and agonized cries. She never did, tell her sister about this problem.

You see, she occasionally got leaders from Areala, telling of her happenings in the city. Her new job, and random everyday things that happened to her that day.

Lately they've had a man named Iisac in her letters. This boy was a 'pestering nusence' but, Sarah knew better than to think that. Her sister came back to this subject often, so Sarah new... Her sister was beginning to fall in love with him, whether she knew it herself or not. Though, Sarah would never intervene and tell her that.

Well, on that paticular day, November 25th, Thomas and Sarah's mother where arguing over a date for the wedding.

Thomas insisted that it be in the spring, when it was warm and the Earth was renewing itself. "A wedding for the bride to remember!" he had said.

Her mother on the other hand, wanted it to be as soon as possible... and no one told her mother no.

Sarah had said her peice. She was fine with waiting, but would rather it be as soon as possible.

"Then, we have it!" Thomas' words interrupted her thoughts. "December 6th then!" He smiled as Sarah.

"We do not have to wait much longer to be Married," he reached over and griped Sarah's hand.

Her mother nodded. Sarah was not surprised that her mother had persuaded Thomas to have it closer at hand.

_December 6th... only eleven more days..._

Her mother, her face brightening, with remembrance. Almost flung at Sarah, and started to drag her off toward the front door. Leaving Thomas alone, surprise etched all over his face.

"Where are we going?" Sarah knew it was hopeless to struggle, so she fallowed her mother.

"We're going to get your wedding dress."


End file.
